UK Tackles Corporate Manslaughter Laws

Corporate manslaughter could become a new criminal offence in the UK if a new campaign by British unions succeeds.

The unions are urging members to throw their full support behind the proposed amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill, with the Trade Union Council asking unionists to get their local MPs on board the campaign.

The Bill would deem a corporation to be guilty of corporate manslaughter if:

(a) a management failure by the corporation is the cause or one of the causes of a person's death; and
(b) that failure constitutes conduct falling far below what can reasonably be expected of the corporation in the circumstances.

The backing of the Bill campaign is part of a range of measures being used to highlight corporate accountability for health and safety failures in the lead-up to Worker's Memorial Day on 28 April.

In answer to the call from Australian unions for corporations to be held accountable for deaths on the job, a Workplace Fatalities Investigation was established by the NSW Govt last year. The unit employs specialist criminal law experts to examine workplace deaths and contribute to police investigations.

NSW's Occupational Health and Safety Act also provides for imprisonment and first offence fines of up to $550,000 for employers judged criminally liable for the deaths of employees.

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Last modified: Tuesday, 15-Nov-2005 20:37:38 EST